What did Mr. Lincoln enjoy doing?

[Gene C]

"Mr. Lincoln possessed extraordinary kindness of heart when his feelings could be reached. He was fond of dumb animals, especially cats.

There are a lot of ways to interpret that - Fido

[irshgrl500]

Eva, I have tried to find out, and in searching came across this statement. As a cat lover I hesitated to post this, but I came across a comment by Assistant to the Secretary of the Treasury whose name was Maunsell B. Field:

"Mr. Lincoln possessed extraordinary kindness of heart when his feelings could be reached. He was fond of dumb animals, especially cats. I have seen him fondle one for an hour."

Roger, I too, am a cat lover, and would take issue with this statement. Perhaps, the statement was more indicative of the way people or society regarded animals, in general, at this time. (that being said, doesn't make it any less callous towards, animals, in general.) I do know AL was a lover of kittens, and I also remember reading about AL and a fire at the White House, stables. AL rushed to the stables, and burst open the stable door, where there were the horses, trapped; they perished in the fire but AL tried to rush through the fire to save them, and was restrained by the guards. He was very distraught and emotional due to the loss of Willie's favorite pony, the goats, and 3 of his own carriage horses. (this story can be found on your website, Roger.) http://rogerjnorton.com/Lincoln100.html
AL, had a deep love for animals.

[RJNorton]

Thank you, Karin, and I must admit I became emotional myself as I researched that web page about the stable fire.

Regarding cats, my wife and I have had cats as pets since 1966. I was very surprised and disappointed to see that man refer to them as "dumb animals." They are anything but that (IMO). Sorry, Fido, but I talked to Lightning (our cat), and he said to post that cats are not dumb. I checked Tabby's diary, and she wrote that cats and dogs are about equal in intelligence.

[Eva Elisabeth]

As for the fire - just about 2 months ago, a cargo aircraft with 49,000 baby chickens loaded on board burned entirely down at the airport in Leipzig. I love all animals, especially birds. A German proverb says: "all birds sing in major" (referring to the musical key, thus happily), they always sound so positive. Even chickens. That was so sad!!! 49,000 innocent, fluffy, lively little creatures! They were caged and had no chance to escape! I still tear up when I think about that. Yes, they were bred for hatching and probably wouldn't have had a pleasant life at all, that's another sad story, but it's such a cruel ending.

[LincolnMan]

Maybe in the Victorian age- cats were considered inferior in intellect to, say, dogs (for instance). Dogs were taken out for hunting- not cats. Dogs could serve to alarm the household of someone coming to the door- not cats, etc.
Thus, cats could have been considered "dumb."
I have always had both cats and dogs. I don't consider either species inferior to the other. Dogs and cats have their own individual capacities, strengths, and limitations.

[Liz Rosenthal]

As for the fire - just about 2 months ago, a cargo aircraft with 49,000 baby chickens loaded on board burned entirely down at the airport in Leipzig. I love all animals, especially birds. A German proverb says: "all birds sing in major" (referring to the musical key, thus happily), they always sound so positive. Even chickens. That was so sad!!! 49,000 innocent, fluffy, lively little creatures! They were caged and had no chance to escape! I still tear up when I think about that. Yes, they were bred for hatching and probably wouldn't have had a pleasant life at all, that's another sad story, but it's such a cruel ending.

Gee. I'm sad to read this. I kind of wish I hadn't. But so many terrible things happen to chickens and other domestic (farm) animals every day. One hopes, however, that the little chicks died of smoke inhalation before the flames overtook everything.

By the way, I read in the New York Times the other day that baby chickens show signs of intelligence that in some ways exceed their human counterparts (i.e., baby humans).

Lincoln seems to have had a soft spot for all animals. That may have been a bit unusual for his time. When young John Hay was sent on a mission to islands off South Carolina - I can't remember what the mission entailed - he amused himself by shooting not only at birds but at dolphins and was unhappy if he missed. Hay definitely lacked that special something that set Lincoln apart in the humane department.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Liz, his passion for kids and animals, especially regarding his era and - later - his position was one aspect that "attracted" me. (I wonder if e.g. Edward Bates pulled his 17 children around in a wagon or let them climb on him...)

I just re-discovered another bird rescue mission that is not so often mentioned and which was recalled by Edwin Stanton's son Lewis:
"Mr. Lincoln and my father arrived at the cottage [Soldiers Home]. They at once noticed the peacocks who were roosting in a small cluster of cedar trees with the ropes and sticks caught in the many small branches and recognized the dangerous and uncomfortable position when on the morrow they would attempt to fly to earth. The two men immediately went to work, solemnly going to and fro unwinding the ropes and getting them in straight lines and carefully placing the small pieces of wood where without catching they would slide off when in the morning the birds flew down." (Matthew Pinsker, "Lincoln's Sanctuary: Abraham Lincoln and the Soldier's Home", p. 151)

[L Verge]

A little extra to the story of Mr. Lincoln caring for three motherless kittens on his March 1865 visit to City Point:

At his first meeting with Lincoln, Colonel Horace Porter watched the President in the telegraph tent at City Point, Virginia and years later recalled, "He would wipe their eyes tenderly with his handkerchief, stroke their smooth coats, and listen to them purring their gratitude to him." Now a General, Porter thought this was quite a sight, as was reported in the New York Times article of February 13, 1906: "Here I was at an army headquarters, upon the eve of a great military crisis in the nation's history, to see the hand which had affixed the signature to the Emancipation Proclamation and had signed the commissions. . . from the general-in-chief to the lowest lieutenant, tenderly caressing three stray kittens."

"I am in favor of animal rights as well as human rights. That is the way of a whole human being."

Abraham Lincoln

---

A little extra to the story of Mr. Lincoln caring for three motherless kittens on his March 1865 visit to City Point:

At his first meeting with Lincoln, Colonel Horace Porter watched the President in the telegraph tent at City Point, Virginia and years later recalled, "He would wipe their eyes tenderly with his handkerchief, stroke their smooth coats, and listen to them purring their gratitude to him." Now a General, Porter thought this was quite a sight, as was reported in the New York Times article of February 13, 1906: "Here I was at an army headquarters, upon the eve of a great military crisis in the nation's history, to see the hand which had affixed the signature to the Emancipation Proclamation and had signed the commissions. . . from the general-in-chief to the lowest lieutenant, tenderly caressing three stray kittens."

"I am in favor of animal rights as well as human rights. That is the way of a whole human being."

Abraham Lincoln

Many times during Lincoln's life, reporters asked Mrs. Lincoln what Mr. Lincoln does for relaxation and/or what is his hobby. She often and simply answered, "Cats. My husband loves cats, and plays with them for hours."

[LincolnMan]

A little extra to the story of Mr. Lincoln caring for three motherless kittens on his March 1865 visit to City Point:

At his first meeting with Lincoln, Colonel Horace Porter watched the President in the telegraph tent at City Point, Virginia and years later recalled, "He would wipe their eyes tenderly with his handkerchief, stroke their smooth coats, and listen to them purring their gratitude to him." Now a General, Porter thought this was quite a sight, as was reported in the New York Times article of February 13, 1906: "Here I was at an army headquarters, upon the eve of a great military crisis in the nation's history, to see the hand which had affixed the signature to the Emancipation Proclamation and had signed the commissions. . . from the general-in-chief to the lowest lieutenant, tenderly caressing three stray kittens."

"I am in favor of animal rights as well as human rights. That is the way of a whole human being."

Abraham Lincoln

---

A little extra to the story of Mr. Lincoln caring for three motherless kittens on his March 1865 visit to City Point:

At his first meeting with Lincoln, Colonel Horace Porter watched the President in the telegraph tent at City Point, Virginia and years later recalled, "He would wipe their eyes tenderly with his handkerchief, stroke their smooth coats, and listen to them purring their gratitude to him." Now a General, Porter thought this was quite a sight, as was reported in the New York Times article of February 13, 1906: "Here I was at an army headquarters, upon the eve of a great military crisis in the nation's history, to see the hand which had affixed the signature to the Emancipation Proclamation and had signed the commissions. . . from the general-in-chief to the lowest lieutenant, tenderly caressing three stray kittens."

"I am in favor of animal rights as well as human rights. That is the way of a whole human being."

Abraham Lincoln

Many times during Lincoln's life, reporters asked Mrs. Lincoln what Mr. Lincoln does for relaxation and/or what is his hobby. She often and simply answered, "Cats. My husband loves cats, and plays with them for hours."

I seem to recall that there was a scene in the DDL movie Lincoln that portrayed Lincoln with the kittens.

[My Name Is Kate]

"Mr. Lincoln...was fond of dumb animals, especially cats."

By "dumb", he may have meant essentially mute or lacking in language ability. I think animals know alot more than we think they do.

[Gene C]

I think animals know alot more than we think they do.

Some of us do, but shhhhh, it's a secret

Fido

[L Verge]

I had one cat years ago that I was convinced had a PhD.

[Gene C]

http://shine.yahoo.com/pets/dog-rescues-...00295.html

Brains and beauty, I think I'm in love - Fido.

[LincolnMan]

Fido: we at the Forum have full confidence that you would've acted in the same manner had you been in that situation.

[Gene C]

Just to show I can be politically correct and that I'm not prejudiced

http://shine.yahoo.com/pets/cat-saves-li...00181.html

Way to go Trigger!
(Say, wasn't that the name of Roy Rogers horse)

- Fido -